Depiction of the role of women on the Island of Evia (Greece): A significant fishing area

Abstract

The role of women (and specifically those involved in the fisheries) on the island of Evia (Central Greece), the second biggest island in the country, was depicted through an extended survey. Evia is a significant fishing area, in terms of fishing fleets and number of fish farms. The field research was based on semi-structured interviews and on the usage of proper questionnaires. These were addressed to professional fishermen, owners of fish farms and conversion plants, women occupied in fish farms, local associations and local cooperatives. The data collected refers to the economic situation of the family, the structure of the family, the social status and the educational level. Care was taken that the interviewed were covering a minimum of 5% in each category. Data was also used from the last National (Greek) census. The women on the island of Evia play a secondary role, in relation to males, in all fields of activity. The majority of fishermen's wives is not employed, but belongs to the category of assisting spouses. They have a lower educational level than their husbands, and their participation in public affairs is very limited. The women who are working do so, mainly in the primary sector (most commonly in the fisheries), and secondarily in the tertiary sector, usually in tourism or in the service field (in the urban areas). In fish farming, women are working independently from their husband's involvement in the field. Most of the women (59%) are workers, 27% are clerks in the offices and 14% are technological or scientific staff. In the cooperatives, the role of women is also secondary: they do not participate in the administration, being mainly involved in the production and marketing of the products. © 2012 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.